The Card
by Madilayn
Summary: Written in 2004 for the SBRL list christmas exchange. Set during 6th year after The Prank. Sirius faces consequences of his actions.


**TitleThe Card**

**Author**Madilayn

**Rating**PG

**Characters**Sirius, Remus, James,

**Warnings**Pre-slash

**Disclaimer**Not mine. No money being made.

They had been home for several days before James heard the sounds. Sounds so quiet that it was not surprising he had missed them initially.

In fact, if he had not been passing the bedroom occupied by Sirius at the time, he probably would have remained in ignorance.

However, James Potter was not a person to ignore the sounds of heartbreak – especially not when it was coming from his best friend – his best friend who usually had a fairly devil-may-care attitude about him.

James still paused before opening the door. From the muffled sounds, he felt that Sirius wanted privacy. Knew that he would be mortified if he thought he had disturbed anybody.

"But he hasn't disturbed anybody," thought James, "I was already up." He opened the door softly and entered, making sure it was closed behind him.

"Sirius?" he asked, crossing to the bed and it's sobbing occupant.

"Go 'way."

James sat down on the bed and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Not a chance. What's wrong?"

"Piss off."

James smiled – getting Sirius to open up was something he could rarely do. Usually he left it to Remus. Then he remembered. Remus wasn't talking to Sirius. In fact, he knew that Remus had not even given Sirius a Christmas present this year – only a rather impersonal card. He knew this because said card was currently in his bedroom – he couldn't bring himself to give it to Sirius.

"Padfoot? Please? I…" he paused, "I can't stand to see you like this."

The other boy raised his head. In the dark room James could see his eyes were red and his face splotchy. "Then go away. Just leave me alone."

"I already told you no. _Please_ Sirius; I want to help."

"Nobody can. I don't deserve it."

"Nonsense! It can't be that bad?"

Sirius shifted around until he was sitting up, tears still running down his face. "Let's see," he said sarcastically. "I've been disowned by my family, who piss me off to the extent that I try to kill another student for amusement factor, because of that I endanger Remus, who I happen to love, so that he hates my guts. And to top it all off, I feel that I'm being ungrateful to you and your family because I'm not the life and soul of the party. Bad enough, James?"

James was stunned. He had no idea that Sirius was in love with Remus. He voiced this.

"Of course you didn't know. _Remus_ doesn't even know! And you're so rapt in Lily Evans that you wouldn't notice if I stripped and ran through the great hall starkers."

James chuckled. "I did notice you do that, and I still say that the only reason you didn't get detention is because nobody could actually believe you did it." He then put his arms around his friend and held him close.

"As for your disasters, who cares about your family! They aren't worth it. Your family is me, Remus and Peter and that's all that matters. Remus is hurt, you can't deny that. What you did was thoughtless and unkind, but Remus will forgive you. He just needs time to think things through himself. He got a very nasty shock – equal to the one Snape got. The important thing is that nothing did happen, and that everything will blow over eventually. You know you have a home here – mum said so."

"It's not the same, James. I know that Remus didn't get me anything for Christmas. He told me."

James squeezed him tighter. "Perhaps you could write to him. Tell him how you feel."

"I can't possibly. He'll think that I'm only doing it to get in his good books again."

"You could try, Sirius. Remus reads you better than anybody. He'll know when you're being genuine. And he did get you something. It's in my room." James stood up and smiled at his friend. "No sneaky locking the door when I leave."

Sirius smiled a watery smile. "Not likely."

James left and fetched the card. The envelope was blank except for the word "Sirius" in fancy writing on the front. Funny – he hadn't noticed before that it wasn't Remus' usual handwriting. James frowned – he still wasn't sure that he should give the card to Sirius, however Remus had been strangely insistent that he do so.

Holding the card, he cautiously entered Sirius' bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him, and sat next to the other boy on the bed, handing him the card and pulling him into his arms.

"Are you sure you want to open it?" he asked softly.

Sirius nodded. "It's not that I don't appreciate you, James, but I hurt Remus badly." Sirius sighed and laid his head on his friend's shoulder. "And I love him so much," he whispered, the whisper barely at James' hearing level.

Sirius turned the envelope over and slid his finger under the flap, opening the envelope, and took out the card.

It was nice – not impersonal at all. Both boys looked at the front, stunned at the picture. They knew Remus was artistic, but neither had expected the scene on this card.

In front of a full moon, a wolf and a large black dog were romping, watched lovingly by a stag with a rat perched on its antlers. Both Sirius and James looked long at the card, both of their faces softened by the closeness and love the scene showed. It was proof of just how much Remus appreciated and loved his friends. Something he had never dared to speak of.

Sirius opened the card. It was completely blank. He closed it and opened it again. Nothing. James was just as puzzled, and hugged his friend tighter. If Remus had intended to hurt Sirius, he had managed it in a rather spectacular manner.

A lone tear ran down the face of the boy, and splashed onto the blank page in front of him. Others swiftly joined it, as Sirius collapsed, finally allowing his sorrow full measure. Tears wet the page and all James could do was hold him tightly, rocking and making soothing noises.

He heard the clock chime from downstairs – it was Christmas Morning. Some Christmas, thought James bitterly.

Sirius sniffed, and James could hear him speaking. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do it. Please forgive me." Over and over again, Sirius begged the blank card, now rather wet from his tears.

And then it happened. The card started to glow, and words started to appear on it. James couldn't help but smile. Remus had enchanted the card – possibly using the same spells he had used on their map.

"Sirius, stop crying and get a handkerchief. This won't work if the parchment is wet." The words were clear, and James chuckled, and rummaged around for a hanky.

He looked at the card, which Sirius was also gazing at. His eyes were still wet and red, but there was a look of hope in them.

The card was writing again. "One apology would have done it, Sirius. That's all I wanted. You didn't have to blub all over it!"

"You'd better open the window – it's cold out here."

Both boys looked up at that. It was _definitely_ not what they had expected, and James quickly crossed and flung open the curtains, to be greeted by a grinning Remus sitting on a broomstick.

Swiftly he opened the window and helped his friend in, who crossed quickly to Sirius, holding him close. "You idiot, Sirius," he murmured happily as Sirius' arms wrapped firmly around him. Remus squeaked then. "Not quite so tight, please. I want to keep breathing."

Sirius looked up, his eyes shining. "James, did you have anything to do with this?" he asked.

James shook his head. "Not me, mate! I think that the kudos for this one have to go entirely to our Moony."

Remus smiled. "I felt awful, but I couldn't forgive you until I knew that you did realize how thoughtless you had been. "

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Moony," said Sirius. "I didn't even think."

"I know. You never do. And I suppose you never will."

James watched the two hug, and debated whether to tell Remus about Sirius other confession. One look at Remus' face, though, made him realize that he knew.

And that what Sirius felt was returned equally.

He smiled happily, thinking of a present under the tree from a certain Miss Evans and marked for him. He sat down again on the bed next to his two friends and grinned.

"How am I going to tell my parents that they have another guest for Christmas?"


End file.
